A computer system has traditionally contained both volatile and non-volatile storage devices. In this manner, due to their relatively faster access times, volatile memory devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices, have traditionally been used to form the working memory for the computer system. To preserve computer system data when the system is powered off, data has traditionally been stored in non-volatile mass storage devices associated with slower access times, such as magnetic media-based or optical media-based mass storage devices.
The development of relatively high density, solid state non-volatile memory technologies with relatively fast access times is closing the gap between the two technologies; and as a result, non-volatile memory devices are becoming increasingly used to form a working, persistent memory for both traditional “memory” and “storage” functions.